Patterson!
by Ellkat
Summary: Beckett has her nose buried in a James Patterson novel and its getting to Castle. Now TWO-SHOT.
1. Tease

**This just came to me while I was vacuuming this morning. Then got sucked into writing it down. I have a few other ideas that could go with this but I am unsure how to connect them so for the moment this is one-shot and complete.**

"Aren't there laws against this kind of torture?" Richard Castle whined from his chair beside the desk of NYPD detective, Kate Beckett.

Beckett glanced at him over the book she hadn't looked up from in the last 20 minutes. Being allowed to read while on-duty was one of the perks of being one of the Captain's favourites. Not that he would ever admit it. She arched an eyebrow at the author, silently asking him what on earth he was on about this time.

"This is police brutality. It's a disgrace."

Sighing, she placed her book on her desk, carefully noting the page despite the fact she had already put a bookmark in.

"What is your problem this time, Castle?"

"Do you have any idea what it is like having to watch your muse...," Beckett raised an eyebrow, somehow managing to convey a threat with the subtle gesture," uh, I mean, inspiration... be completely wrapped in one of your competitors novels?"

He glared at the capitalised letters emblazoned on the cover of the discarded book.

_Patterson_, he thought scathingly. Beckett smirked at his obvious jealousy.

"Well, this is actually quite a good book. He has that certain something that makes a _really_ good story-teller. I've lost count of the times I've read this. I've got most of his other books at home." She was enjoying watching his little-boy pout.

"Well, I can't stand it any longer. I need coffee. You want some? I'm going out to that really good place on the way here..."

She silently nodded, reaching again for the book. She had her nose buried back in its pages before he had even made it out of the bull-pen, he noticed. He knew it shouldn't bother him that much but the heavily worn dust-jacket was getting to him. He knew how well Beckett looked after her books so it was a true testament to how much she liked the book. He sighed as the elevator doors closed, obscuring his view of the detective and her novel.

Beckett remained at her desk watching Castle stalk out of the precinct in a huff from the corner of her eye. Once he was out of sight, she closed the book momentarily to glance at the cover of the book that had so riled Castle. She had barely been able to contain her glee throughout his little tantrum.

It had been a stroke of genius to hide her favourite Derrick Storm novel in the dust-jacket of one of Patterson's bestsellers.


	2. Caught

**A get well present for my beta.**

**Also credit to her for writing the excerpt of the Derrick Storm novel for me.**

When Castle returned to the precinct 45 minutes later, Beckett was not at her desk.

He deftly deposited the two cups of coffee beside her computer monitor and was just about to go look for her in the break room when he saw the book she had been reading laying open, face-down on her desk.

Glancing around to see no one was watching, he reached for the novel. If she was going to mess with him by reading Patterson's books in front of him, he was going to do a little messing back.

Holding the book in his hands, one finger maintaining the page where it had been set down, the brightly capitalised letters on the cover taunting him and stoking his jealousy once more, he considered the ways he could get back at Beckett for waving it in front of him.

Several ideas came to mind, including hiding the book and changing what page the book was up to, but they were discarded as being too obviously Castle-ish. She would be onto him in an instant and make him scream "apples" for the whole precinct to hear. Plus he wanted to be around to see the results of his mischief.

While his mind percolated suitable revenge, he decided to check where she was up to in the book. He had discovered it was worth his while to pay attention to what his fellow writers were up to with their respective characters. Though wild horses couldn't drag it from him, he actually enjoyed reading Alex Cross from time to time.

Flicking the book open to where his thumb was keeping place, his eyes tracked across the page.

_The rain was pouring out of the sky, a mixture of dust and water that left thick layer of grey powder on the pavements and cars surrounding him._

_He kept low, seeking shelter in the mist and the shadow caused by the buildings which luckily blocked the dim light provided by a lonely street lamp._

_He counted 3 guards. They were armed with what seemed like upgraded Kalashnikov, semi automatic. Brutal but not very accurate. If he could somehow manage to separate them, he could easily take them down._

_He took out his gun and released the magazine. It was only half full. Enough to take care of the three guards but hardly enough to deal with the unknown evil that awaits him inside. _

_Well, this is the end of the road. He thought no backing down. No turning back._

_He took one last deep breath in a failed attempt to settle his racing heart._

_He never expected to survive this long any way, and if he is doomed to die tonight, then at least he would take some of those bastards with him. _

_With that last thought, he stormed the building. _

His eyes narrowed at the familiar passage. When he read the character's name further down the page, his eyes widened in comprehension. He flipped back to the title page where, in large letters, the true name of the book and its author was proclaimed.

_Gathering Storm_ – Richard Castle

The first in the Storm series. _His _series. He thought back over the years he and Beckett had been working together. He vaguely wondered how many of the books she had read over that time had really been really been his own works masquerading as his rivals'.

"Hey, Beckett!" Esposito's voice snapped Castle out of his stunned reverie.

The burly detective was standing in the break room doorway, apparently talking to Beckett, thankfully blocking the view of the bull pen from her view.

Castle quickly replaced the book in its previous position, and by the time Beckett exited the break room, he was in his usual chair, sipping his coffee and contemplating the blank murder board leaning against the wall beside her desk.

"Coffee as promised," he told Beckett as she took her seat at her desk. He gave her his book cover grin, hoping she would simply accept that he was over his little jealous fit now he had had time to cool off.

Beckett tilted her head slightly while fixing him with her interrogation stare. He cowered a little in his chair but recovered and let his grin widen a little, thinking of how she had no idea that he was now savvy to her little charade. After a moment she seemed to accept he had simply been venting his frustration of not having a case by taking issue with her reading material.

She smiled as she took the indicated cup and took a sip, closing her eyes and tipping her head back to savour perfectly made latte. She opened her eyes when she felt Castle's eyes on her.

"Thanks, Castle."

She picked up her book again, figuring it was safe to do so. Starting to read, she frowned slightly. She didn't recall getting up to this point. She looked at Castle who was studiously flicking his finger over the screen of his iPhone. She forced down the wave of panic and embarrassment that he might have discovered her secret.

Feeling her eyes on him, he glanced up and gave her that smile he seemed to reserve for her, then he stood and headed over to the boys' desks. She watched him go, apprehension coiling in her stomach, half out of worry that he knew what she was really reading, half out of concern he wasn't really over his jealousy.

"Hey Esposito, Ryan, I just got the new Angry Birds. Wanna check it out?" The two guys' heads popped up at the mention of one of their favourite game apps.

Beckett smiled and relaxed again as the three guys huddled around the tiny screen. If Castle had known that she was really reading a Derrick Storm novel and had hidden it from him, she would never have heard the end of it. Immersing herself once again in the world on the page, she didn't see Castle watching her from across the bullpen, a knowing smile on his lips.

**Reviews?**


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